Jose Lopez and Scott Mathieson left Japan on the 19th. Lopez is a question mark for next season. He is interested in returning. Mathieson will be in the second year of a two-year deal in 2015. Source: Sponichi 10/19/2014

Leslie Anderson might require left elbow surgery during the winter. There is a good chance the Giants will ask him back. Frederich Cepeda will most likely return. The Giants are expected to part ways with Chris Seddon. Source: Sponichi 10/19/2014

The Giants are planning to look into Chihiro Kaneko. Source: Daily Sports 10/19/2014 ... The Giants will be keeping an eye on Yulieski Gourriel and Alfredo Despaigne. Source: Sponichi 10/19/2014 ... The Giants are not planning to offer Cepeda a contract for 2015 and are looking into Hiroyuki Nakajima. Source: Sanspo 10/19/2014

Hanshin Tigers

Ni-gun manager Katsuo Hirata could be reassigned to Ichi-gun head coach. Ni-gun chief/hitting coach Hideo Furuya could take over as Ni-gun manager. Ichi-gun general coach Haruki Yoshitake could join the front office. Source: Sanspo 10/19/2014

Hiroshima Carp

Eishin Soyogi and Shogo Kimura earned their domestic FA options this year. They are expected to meet team officials on the 20th to discuss their options. Source: Sponichi 10/19/2014

Kenta Maeda has not given up on his dream to play in the Majors and would like to head overseas sooner rather than later. This winter may not be in the cards. Source: Sponichi 10/19/2014

Chunichi Dragons

Daisuke Yamai on his FA option: "There was a time when I wanted to know what kind of interest other teams had in me, but not anymore. More than that, I learned that I have a really strong bond with this team (Chunichi)." Source: Sports Hochi 10/19/2014

Yokohama Bay Stars

Kiyoshi Nakahata would like to see Yulieski Gourriel return to the Bay Stars next season. Nakahata plans to work him harder if he does. "I treated him like a guest this year, things will be different next year. He doesn't really seem interested in defense. He doesn't like practicing, but he will have to if he does not want to become a distraction. I'll sit down and talk to him about it [if he comes back]." Source: Sponichi 10/19/2014

Yakult Swallows

The Swallows would like Hiroyasu Tanaka and Ryoji Aikawa to return in 2015. They are expected to begin negotiations with the two players soon. Source: Daily Sports 10/19/2014

The Buffaloes are putting together a list of foreign player candidates in case negotiations with Wily Mo Pena fall through. Kila Ka'aihue is one of the candidates on the list. There may be other players with NPB experience on the list. Source: Sponichi 10/19/2014

Masahiro Araki did not play in Saturday's game against Yomiuri at Tokyo Dome because of pain in his thigh. He may have suffered the injury during Friday's game. Source: Nikkan Sports 8/23/2014

Yokohama Bay Stars

Yulieski Gourriel (left side) played in a Ni-gun rehab game against Yomiuri on Saturday. He got the start at second and batted clean-up. He went 1-for-5, including a two-run double. Source: Daily Sports 8/23/2014 ... Gourriel played in his first Ni-gun rehab game against Yomiuri on Friday. He was the starting designated hitter and batted fourth. He went 2-for-4 with a walk. He also played some second. He could be okay to return to the active roster in time for the Chunichi series that begins on the 26th. Source: Sponichi 8/23/2014

Chiba Lotte Marines

Ayumu Ishikawa (right middle finger nail) started a Ni-gun rehab game against Rakuten on Saturday. He gave up an earned run on one hit and a walk over two innings of work. He faced eight batters, threw twenty-seven pitches, and struck out two. He could make it back to the active roster in time for a start during the Nippon Ham series that begins on the 29th at Tokyo Dome. Source: Sponichi 8/23/2014 ... Ishikawa threw twenty-seven pitches and topped out at 145km/h. Source: Sanspo 8/23/2014

Softbank Hawks

Nobuhiro Matsuda (right index finger) played in a Ni-gun rehab game against Orix on Friday. He got the start at third and batted second. He went 1-for-5 with a two-run home run in the 8th. Source: Nikkan Sports 8/23/2014 ... Matsuda got the start at third and batted second again in Saturday's Ni-gun rehab game against Orix. He went 1-for-4.

According to a report by Sponichi, the four Cuba players currently in Japan with permission from the Cuba (Frederich Cepeda, Yulieski Gourriel, Alfredo Despaigne, and Hector Mendoza) will probably return next season. However, deals will have to be renegotiated, which could mean players signing with different teams in 2015.

The article goes on to explain that the players are considered government employees with the Ministry of Sports. As such, teams in Japan have to go through the ministry to sign a player -- the ministry can provide a list of possible candidates based on a list of needs, or teams can check players during scheduled tryouts in Cuba.

Players are limited to one-year deals based on government policy with foreign currency. Cuba is also interested in establishing connections with as many teams as possible.

Twenty percent of the player's salary reportedly goes to the government. While Cuba went along with many of the requests made by teams this year, that could change next season with players going to the highest bidder.

The Giants currently have two open spots for foreign players on the active roster -- Chris Seddon is getting extra work at Ni-gun and Leslie Anderson has a right biceps femoris injury.

If the coaches determine Cepeda is ready after they watch him during pre-game practices on Thursday, they could add him to the active roster on the same day.

It took Cepeda twenty-one hours to get to Narita Airport from Cuba (includes stop-over in Moscow).

Cepeda experienced his first earthquake at around 8:30am on Tuesday.

Cepeda began his workouts at 9:30am on Tuesday. He worked out indoors because of the rain. After warm-ups and playing some catch, he watched Kan Otake toss a bullpen session. During batting practice, he swung the bat ninety-two times, forty-two from the right side and fifty from the left. He recorded fifty-five could-be hits.

Cepeda took outdoor batting practice on Wednesday. He took fifty-nine swings (both sides of the plate) and recorded twenty-one could-be hits. He also hit four over the fence. Ni-gun Ikusei coach Koji Goto (right-handed) and Ni-gun pitching coach Hideyuki Awano (left-handed) tossed batting practice.

There may be some internal concerns about Cepeda's fielding abilities and how that might affect which foreign players make the active roster.

For those wondering why the Giants got Cepeda, Tokyo Sports provides a possible explanation. The organization provided Cuba with a list of players they were interested in. Whether or not Yulieski Gourriel was on the list is unknown, but seems likely. The Giants may have gotten Cepeda based on apparent need and because they could not guarantee an infield position for Gourriel.

Nikkan Sports posted an exclusive interview with Cepeda on the 10th. Some points from the interview:

...is right-handed. He became a switch-hitter at six years of age when his father taught him how.

...wants to provide the Giants with good value on his contract, both with his bat and his glove. Believes he can succeed in Japan if he takes advantage of every opportunity he gets and continues to work hard.

...is proud of what teammate and fellow countryman Leslie Anderson has accomplished in Japan so far. Does not consider him a rival and hopes to work with him to help the team win.

...wore the number twenty-four in Cuba. Could not select twenty-four with the Giants because it is worn by Yoshinobu Takahashi. Went with twenty-three because it was the closest number available.

The Yomiuri Giants held a press conference at their team office in Tokyo today to introduce newcomer Frederich Cepeda. Cepeda was assigned the number twenty-three. He is scheduled to work out at the Ni-gun facilities in Kawasaki on Tuesday and Wednesday. He will meet up with the Ichi-gun team at Tokyo Dome before Thursday's game against Yakult to give coaches a chance to see him during practices. Tatsunori Hara told reporters nothing was set in stone and that he was open to adding Cepeda to the active roster depending on his condition.

According to at least two reports, the Yomiuri Giants have agreed to a one-year deal with the Baseball Federation of Cuba and thirty-four-year-old Cuban outfielder Frederich Cepeda. He could arrive in Japan as early as mid-May, depending on his visa situation. An official announcement of the deal is expected within the next few days.

The Giants announced that they agreed to a deal with Cepeda. He has been assigned the number twenty-three. They expect him to arrive in Japan some time around mid-May, assuming his visa clears without any problems.

The Giants also announced that they signed a Friendship Agreement with the Baseball Federation of Cuba. As part of the agreement, they will consider accepting coaches in training from Cuba.